Postage-stamp vending and affixing machine.



W. H. PETERS. POSTAGE STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

awe/wt; Walter flpeek's 3 BHEBTS-SHEET 1.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

W. H. PETERS.

POSTAGE STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1,073,51 5. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

3 B BETH-SHEET Z.

iq. i

W. H. PETERS. POSTAGE STAMP VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE. APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1 ,07 3,5 1 5. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I IIIIH avwemtoa wanna n. Pumas, or swears. rumors. Icem n-STAM EN G a-Mau n MACHINE- gpecifloatiop of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

appllcation filed June 14, 1911. Serial No. 633,133.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WALTER H. PETERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Steger, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Impr vemen ts in Postage-Stamp Ven'dmg andAliixing Machines, 'ofwhich the following is a specification.

Specifically considered the inventlon is primarily designed to provide amachine for vending postage 'stantllps and affixing said stamps toletters or o er matter to be sent through the mails. A further purposeof the invention is the provision of a machine which may be used solelyfor the purpose of attaching postage stamps to letters or packages orwhich may be used for labeling'newspapers, magazines and likeperiodicals to be sent through the mail to subscribers.

The invention su plies a feeding mechanism whereb the s rip is advanced,a moistening mechanism for dampening the gumrned side of the strip orthe letter or package to which said strip is to be attached and acombined cutting and ai iixing' mechanism whereby the projecting portionof the strip is severed and pressed upon the moistened part of theenvelop or package placed in position to receive the same. V

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand ooinbination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth, illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, and pointed out inthe appen ed claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1is a View in elevation ofa machine of the character and forthe'purpossstated embodying the invention, the coin mechanism and the rear side ,ofthe casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig; 1 having artsin section and parts broken away. ig. 3 is a horizontal section of thecomplete machine including the ,coi mechanism on the line biz ai ofmg. 1. ign l is a'vertical transverse section on the line yy of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is a section on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows. Fig. 6 is a detail section of the coin mechanism on theline 66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is atop plan "view' f the front portion of themachine.

Fig.

is a detailsec'tion on the 'line 88 of F 1g. I

Qorresponding and like parts are referred to n the following descrition, and indi-' eated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The machine comprises a base 1 upon which is mounted a casing 2 forinclosing the reel containing the gummed strip and the operatingdevices. A slot 3 is provided at the front end of the machine to receivethe letters, packages or other matter to be stamped or otherwise havethe gummed parts aflixed thereto, such as labels, A reel 4 is rotatablymounted in the rear portion of the casing and the gummed strlp 5 iswound thereon and may consist of postage stamps, labels or addressesaccording to the specific use for which the machine is designed. Aspring (3 exerts a lateral pressure upon the reel l to prevent itsturning too freely when the strip is drawn thercover.

A pair of feed rolls 7 and 8 are located in advance of the reel 4 andthe stamp or other strip 5 passes between them, said rolls having theirfaces covered with rubber or like material to insure a positive grippingof the stri 5 which is essential to insure a ro er feed thereof. Aratchet wheel 9 is attac ed to the feed roll 7 so as to turn therewithand two'dogs 10 and 11 engage the teeth of the ratchet' wheel to turnthefeed roll 7 and to prevent its backward rotation. The dog 11 acts as adetent to prevent backward rotation of the feed roll, whereas the dog 10turns the feed roll'to advance the strip 5.

A partition 12 is located in the front portion of the casing 2 andprovides a space in which a plunger 13 is arranged to operatevertically, the stem 14 of the plunger extending through the top of thecasing and tcrmlnating in a button and receiving a helical spring 15,which is of the expansible ty e and normally serves to hold the plungere evated. A'slot 16 is formed in the lower portion of the partition 12for the passage of the strip 5'. A guide 17 extendsrearwardly from thepartition 12 in line with the slot 16 and consists of a flattened tubethrough which the strip 5 passes, said guide extending across the spaceformed between the partitipn 12 and the feed rolls and supporting thestamp strip and preventing access being had' thereto from the outside ofthe machine through the slot 3. The lower face of the plunger 13 iscovered'with rubber, felt or like materiahto yieldingly press thepostage stamp or like part upon the letter or packf age. plunger 18operates in guides 19 lo-' lower end is pivotally cated upon thepartition 12 and extends through the top of the casing and terminates ina button and receives a helical spring 20, which normally exerts anupward pressure upon the plunger. The plunger 18 operates the feed rollsto advancethe strip. A link 21 is pivotally connected at its upper endto a lug or extension of the plunger and its connected to an arm 22,which is tpivotall 'ounted upon a journal of the eed' rol 7. The TEe eddog 10 is mounted upon the pivot connection between the link 21 and arm22 and is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 9 by means of aspring carried b the arm 22. When the feed plunger 18 is epressed thespring 20 is compressed and the end of the feed dog 10 is caused to rideupon a tooth of the ratchet wheel 9 and upon releasin the plunger 18 thesame is moved upward y by the spring 20 and the feed dog 10 movmgupwardly with said plunger turnsthe feed roll 9 a distance to advance anend portion of the strip 5 the proper distance, which corresponds to thelength of a postage stamp when the machine is adapted or delivering sucharticles. x

A blade 23 is pivotally connected to the plunger 13 and its cutting edgeis pressed against the adjacent side of the partition 12 so as to sweepacross the slot 16 and sever the projecting portion of the strip. Thelower edge of the blade 23 is inclined to admit of the same cutting by asheer action. A spring 24 attached to the plungernormally exerts anoutward pressure upon the blade 23 to hold its lower edge in engagementwith the partition 12 and to throw said bladeout of the way whenclearing the lower end of the partition 12 so as not to interfere withthe like to be stamped or labeled.

A moistener is provided for dampening the letter, package or the like toreceive the postage stamp or label. The moistener is located at thefront of the casing and comprises a tank 25 and a brush .26, the latterbeing arranged to overhang the front portion of the base 3 so that whenintroducing the letter, ackage or the like into the slot 3 it passeseneath the brush 26 and is moistened, thereby causing the postage stampor label to adhere thereto upon operating the stamp plunger 13. The tank25 contains a quantity of water and has a small opening in its bottomwhich is controlled by means of a valve 27 so that the water may dripfrom the tank upon the brush 26 and keep the latter moist .so as todampen the letter, package or the like passing under the brush whenentering the slot 3.

The strip 5 is gummed upon one side and is wound about the reel 1, 'anend portion slot 3 beneath the severedand presses the same upon I ter.The strip 5 may consist of posta e i'a casing 28 located letters,packages or theing the coin passage portion 36, whereby the coin isobstructed in I of the stri passing 7 and 8 an throu ters to be stampethe guide 17. The letare introduced into the brush 26 and rest upon thetrout portion-oi the'base 1. The feed plunger 18 is now depressed,thereby bringmg the feed dog 10. in positionto turn the feed roll 11when releasing the pressure on the plunger 18. As the plunger 18 movesupward an end portion of the strip 5 is pro- .ected through the. slot 16the portion proected being determined Y y movement of the-feed rolls.plun war depressed and severs the projectin of the strip,

the degree, of

movement the stamp plunger 13 1s portion contact with the part of thestripl thus e letstamps, labels or addresses according to t e particularpurpose for which the machine is intended. 4 v

Since, as hereinbefore stated, the machine is particularly designed forvending postage stamps a coin mechanism is used in connection therewithto admit of operating the feed mechanism age stamps are projected intoproper position for delivery and attachment to the letter or othermatter to coin mechanism is housed, being located in at one side of thecasing 2. The casing 28 has one or more slots 29 in its top for theintroduction of the predetermined coin. When the machine-is adapted fordelivering one cent postage stamps the casing 28 has one slot29 only,but when the machine is designed for delivering two cent postage stampsthe casing 28 has two slots 29 each adapted to receive a one cent piece.A partition 30 is locatedwithin the casing 28 and has a passage 31therein constituting a coinway through which the coin travels afterbeing introduced into the slot 29., The coin passage 31 is enlargedat3its receiving end, as indicated at 32. An arm 33 pivoted at 3%extends upwardly across the receiving end. of the coin passage 31 andhas a part cut away at one end to form a shoulder 35 I and has a portioncut away from a side to form alateral shoulder .36, the latter formingone wall of the coin passage. 1 A spring 3'8 exerts a pressure upon thearm 33 topress the upper portion inward, thereby'tontractof the casing281 adjacentthe casing 2 and an arm 39 projecting laterally from thefeed plunger 18 is arranged to operate in the slot 38. The shoulderedportion 35 of the arm between the feed rolls 7 After the feed er hasreached the limit of its. up-

which drops upon the etter and j i an instant thereafter the plungercomes be stamped. The

portion of the shoulder. -36.v At vertical slot38 is formed in the innerwall as I by means of which the post:

opposite the shouldered 33 extends across the slot 38 and limits thedownward movement of the arm 39 and the feed plunger, thereby preventingoperation of the feed mechanism. 7

When a coin is introduced into the slot 29 it passes by the arm 39 andlodges in the contracted portion of the coinway opposite the shoulder 36formed on the arm 33. Upon depressing the feed plunger 18 the arm 39 iscarried downward and engagin the coin forces it through the contracteportion of the coinway, with the result that the upper portion of thearm 33 is moved to one side to withdraw the shoulder 35 out of the pathof the arm 39, thereby admitting of the plunger 18 descending to thelimit of its movement, which is essential to insure proper feed of thestrip 5. As the pressure is removed from the p unger 18 it rises and atthe same time turns the feed rolls 7 and 8 and when the plunger reachesthe limit of its upward movement the upper portion of the arm 33 isreturned to normal position by the action of the s ring 37 to preventdownward movement 0 the plunger 18 until after another coin has beenplaced in position. When the machine is adapted for de-- livering twocent postage stamps it is to be understood that two arms 33 andadjunctive parts are provided and it is-necessary to place a one centpiece in each slot 29 so that when depressin the plunger 18 both arms 33are operate to withdraw their shouldered portions 35 from the path ofthe arm 39.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advanta es of the construction and of themethod 0 operation will be readil apparent to those skilled in the artto whic the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invent-ion, together with the device whichI now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Havin thus described the invention what 60 edge shoulder, the reducedpart of the arm extending into said coinway and arranged at one sidethereof with the side shoulder at one ed e of the coinway to reduce thewidth thereoi and a part projecting from the plunger across said coinwayand limited in its movement by the edge shoulder of the arm and adaptedto engage a coin to push the said arm aside to cause the beforementioned side shoulder to clear the coin to admit of full 0 ration ofthe plunger to effect delivery of t e article.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plungerfor operating a delivery mechanism having a laterally extendingprojection, a part having'a coinway which is enlarged at its receivingend, and a slot intersecting the coinway and receiving the projection ofthe plunger, and a pivoted arm having an end port-ion reducedandarranged at one side of the coinway and forming part of the wallthereof, said reduced part of the arm having an edge shoulder to limitthe movement of the plunger by engaging the projection thereof, and aside shoulder to contract the width of the coinway to arrest themovement of the coin, the parts being arranged to admit of theprojection of the plunger engaging a coin to move the edge shoulder outof the path of the plunger projection, whereby full operation of thedelivery mechanism may be attained.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER H. PETERS.

Witnesses H. C. WEHLAN, F. W. KEELER.

